Medicines Q&As Q&A 163.2 What is the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding associated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)? Prepared by UK Medicines Information (UKMi) pharmacists for NHS healthcare professionals Before using this Q&A, read the disclaimer at www.ukmi.nhs.uk/activities/medicinesQAs/default.asp Date prepared: 21 January 2013 Background Various reviews and meta-analyses (1-8) have indicated that there is a link between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) use and gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, particularly upper GI bleeding (3,4,7,8). An increased risk of bleeding has been noted in elderly patients (7), and with the concomitant use of SSRIs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (2-5,7,8). Serotonin has an important role in the haemostatic response to injury by promoting platelet aggregation (1,9,10). SSRIs inhibit the uptake of serotonin into platelets which might lead to an increased risk of abnormal bleeding (1,9,10). The increase in gastric acid secretion caused by SSRIs could also increase the risk of ulcer development and GI bleeding (8). Due to reports of bleeding, including GI bleeding, manufacturers advise caution in patients with a history of bleeding disorders and in those taking SSRIs concomitantly with antiplatelets and other drugs that might increase the risk of bleeding (11-16). Answer To determine whether SSRIs and venlafaxine (a serotonin and noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitor [SNRI]) are associated with upper GI tract bleeding, de Abajo and colleagues (17) conducted a casecontrol study in which details of case and control patients were drawn from a database used by general practitioners in the UK to store clinical information about their patients. Several similar casecontrol studies had been conducted in the past, but this one differed in that as well as aiming to identify subgroups of patients at an increased risk of bleeds with SSRIs, it sought to determine whether acid suppressing agents were effective in minimising this risk. Patients with upper GI tract bleeding (n=1321) who had been referred to a hospital or consultant and 10,000 control subjects were matched for age, sex and calendar year of the index date. For cases, the index date was the date of first symptoms or first diagnosis. For controls, a date within the study period was assigned randomly. Patients were defined as ‘current users’ if their prescribed antidepressants lasted until the index date or were discontinued within 30 days of the index date. Although the three-fold increased risk of upper GI bleeding with SSRIs reported in a previous study (1) by the same authors was not seen again, percentages of current users of SSRIs or venlafaxine were found to be higher for case subjects than controls (5.3% versus 3.0% [SSRIs]; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.6; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-2.1; and 1.1% versus 0.3% [venlafaxine]; adjusted OR 2.9; 95% CI: 1.5-5.6). The odds ratios were adjusted for age, sex, calendar year, smoking status, alcohol intake, antecedents of GI disorder and concomitant use of NSAIDs, systemic corticosteroids, warfarin, low-dose aspirin and other antiplatelet drugs. The risk of upper GI tract bleeding was elevated further in patients receiving concomitant NSAIDs (OR 4.8; 95% CI: 2.8-8.3) or corticosteroids (OR 4.0; 95% CI: 1.3-12.3) (17). Interestingly, de Abajo and colleagues (17) noted that acid suppressing agents protected against GI bleeding in patients receiving either serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs [SSRIs or SNRIs]) or both SRIs and NSAIDs (OR 2.0; 95% CI: 1.5-2.8 [SRI only] and OR 9.1; 95% CI: 4.8-17.3 [SRI + NSAID] in non-users of acid suppressors and OR 1.4; 95% CI: 0.8-2.3 [SRI only] and OR 1.1; 95% CI: 0.3-3.4 [SRI + NSAID] in current users of acid suppressors). In context, this would mean that for every 2000 patients receiving an SRI only, or every 250 patients receiving an SRI with an NSAID, without GI protection, one patient would have an upper GI bleed. With GI protection, 5000 or more patients would need to be treated with an SRI or SRI with an NSAID in order for one case to be attributed to From the NHS Evidence website www.evidence.nhs.uk 1 Medicines Q&As these drugs. Another study found that concomitant therapy with a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) significantly reduced the modest risk of SSRI-related upper GI bleeding (OR 0.39; 95% CI: 0.160.94)(18). Before these studies, gastro-protective agents such as H2 receptor antagonists, PPIs or misoprostol had not been shown to reduce the risk of GI bleeds associated with SSRIs alone (4,6) or in combination with NSAIDs (6). Results from cohort and case-control studies with similar objectives and comparable outcomes to those of de Abajo and colleagues (17) are shown in Table 1. The majority of these concluded that SSRIs are associated with an increased risk of GI bleeding (1,10,17-19,21,), and some found this risk to be potentiated by the concomitant use of NSAIDs (1,10,17,19,20). Others found no significant association between GI bleeding and SSRI use (22,23) or no potentiation of this effect with concomitant SSRI and NSAID use (18,24). Comparison of these results is complicated by the fact that the studies differed with regard to adjustment for confounding factors. Studies have shown that, in addition to concomitant medication, alcohol intake (25) and H.pylori status (26) are important to take into account when determining the effects of SSRIs on the risk of GI bleeding. Patient age and the degree to which different antidepressants inhibit serotonin reuptake were factors of interest in one observational study in 317,824 elderly patients which looked at upper GI bleeding rates. The antidepressants these patients were taking were split into 2 groups: those with low inhibition of serotonin reuptake (e.g. nortriptyline, doxepin, trazodone) and those with high inhibition of serotonin reuptake (e.g. paroxetine, sertraline, fluoxetine) (27). Absolute differences between these antidepressant groups were greatest (and statistically significant) for patients aged 80 and over (bleeding rates for high versus low inhibition: 14.7 per 1000 person years versus 10.6 per 1000 person years; number needed to harm [NNH] =244), and those with previous upper GI bleeding (bleeding rates for high versus low inhibition: 40.3 per 1000 person years versus 28.6 per 1000 person years; NNH=85) (27). A recent study, in which the medical records of 36,389 patients were examined, also found the adjusted relative risk for GI bleeds to be higher in patients receiving antidepressants with a higher affinity for the serotonin transporter (relative risk for high versus low-affinity antidepressants = 1.17 (95% CI 1.02-1.34). This study was of particular interest because it was restricted to patients with major depressive disorder, thereby reducing the risk of confounding by indication. Patients in this study received monotherapy with a SSRI, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor or other newgeneration antidepressant (28). In a case-control study (19), the risk of upper GI bleeding was found to be greatest in patients who had recently (within the last 0-30 days) started SSRI use. This finding is supported by another study, which found that mortality was increased in the 30 days following hospital admission for peptic ulcer bleeding in patients who had started SSRIs within 60 days of admission (particularly those over 80 years). In this study, long-term exposure to SSRIs, alone or with NSAIDs did not increase 30-day mortality after peptic ulcer bleeding (29). For a rare condition, the OR approximates the relative risk (30). Therefore, in Table 1, some results are reported as an OR and others as relative risk (both versus non-use of the specified medicines), as they appeared in the original papers. From the NHS Evidence website www.evidence.nhs.uk 2 Medicines Q&As Table 1. Studies examining the possibility of an association between SSRI use and upper GI bleeding. Study and type Number of Current use Risk (odds ratio [OR], study relative risk [RR] or other) participants versus non-use c de Abajo FJ and Garcia1321 patients SRIs (includes SSRIs and OR, adjusted (95% CI): a Rodriguez LA. Arch Gen Psych with upper GI a venlafaxine) only : SRIs only :1.8 (1.1-2.9) 2008;65(7):795-803 (17) bleeding/ 22 cases, 105 controls SRIs plus NSAIDs: 4.8 Nested case-control study perforation b (2.8-8.3) NSAID only : 173 cases, referred to 642 controls OR (95% CI): with gastro consultant or NSAID and SRIs: protection: hospital a 23 cases, 44 controls 10,000 controls SRIs only :1.4 (0.8-2.3) SRIs plus NSAIDs: 1.1 (0.3-3.4) With no gastro protection/remote use: Conclusions SSRIs, and venlafaxine, increase the risk of upper GI tract bleeding. This risk was increased further by the concomitant use of NSAIDs and SRIs. Acid suppressing agents lowered the risk of upper GI tract bleeding associated with SRIs +/- NSAIDs. a SRIs only : 2.0 (1.5-2.8) SRIs plus NSAIDs: 9.1 (4.8-17.3) Dall M et al. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2009;7:1314-21(19) Case-control study 3652 patients with serious upper GI bleeding 36,502 controls SSRIs (current use): 377 cases, 1809 controls SSRI (recent use): 77 cases, 381 controls SSRI (past use): 360 cases, 2484 controls SSRI alone: 40 cases, 326 controls NSAID only: 625 cases, 2635 controls NSAID and SSRI: 99 cases, 183 controls NSAID, SSRI, and low-dose aspirin: 38 cases, 40 controls PPI (current use): 73 cases, 234 controls d OR, adjusted (95% CI): SSRIs (current use): 1.70 (1.49-1.95) SSRIs (recent use): 1.86 (1.41-2.5) SSRIs (past use): 1.24 (1.09-1.42) SSRI only: 1.7 (1.01-2.8) NSAID only: 4.3 (3.7-5.1) NSAID plus SSRI: 8.0 (4.8-13) NSAID, SSRI plus low-dose aspirin: 28 (7.6-103) PPI (current use): 0.96 (0.50-1.82) From the NHS Evidence website www.evidence.nhs.uk SSRI use was associated with upper GI bleeding. This risk was increased further by the concomitant use of NSAIDs and SSRIs, and further still by adding in low-dose aspirin to treatment with NSAIDs and SSRIs. Among users of SSRIs, the risk of upper GI bleeding was found to be highest in those who had recently started taking SSRIs. PPIs protected against upper GI bleeding in users of SSRIs. 3 Medicines Q&As SSRI onlya: 284 cases, 931 controls NSAID onlye:1714 cases, 3089 controls NSAID and SSRI: 157 cases, 159 controls SSRI (included venlafaxine): 111 cases, 136 controls NSAID: 42 cases, 38 controls OR, adjustedf (95% CI): SSRIs, excluding NSAID users:1.30 (1.13-1.50) SSRI and NSAID:4.19 (3.30-5.31) NSAID only:2.83 (2.65-3.03) OR (95% CI): SSRIs (lower or upper bleeds) 1.5 (1.2-2.0) p=0.003 SSRIs (lower bleeds): 1.8 (1.2-2.8) p=0.005 SSRIs (upper bleeds): 1.3 (0.83-1.9) p=0.281 1552 patients with upper GI bleeding 68,590 controls SSRI only: 62 cases, 1881 controls NSAID only: 263 cases, 5266 controls SSRI and NSAID: 23 cases, 337 controls SSRI and PPI: 6 cases, 369 controls OR, adjustedg (95% CI): SSRI only: 1.43 (1.09-1.89) NSAID only: 2.62 (2.26-3.03) SSRI plus NSAID: 3.17 (2.01-5.00) SSRI plus PPI: 0.56 (0.24-1.30) Users of antidepressants: 26,005 Control: No antidepressants/ no NSAIDs (numbers not given) SSRI onlya: 55 cases, 17,320 persons SSRI and NSAID only: 17 cases, 4107 persons Other antidepressants onlye: 9 cases, 4436 persons Observed/expected ratio (95% CI) SSRIs onlyb: 3.6 (2.7-4.7) Other antidepressants onlye:1.7 (0.8-3.1) SSRI and NSAID:12.2 (7.1-19.5) Helin-Salmivaara A et al. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2007;63:403-8 (21) Case-control study 9191 cases with serious upper GI events 41,780 controls Wessinger S et al. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2006;23:93744 (20) Case-control study 579 cases hospitalised with acute GI haemorrhage 1000 controls Targownik LE et al. Am J Gastroenterol 2009;104:14751482 (18) Case-control study Dalton S et al. Arch Intern Med 2003;163:59-64 (10) Population based cohort study From the NHS Evidence website www.evidence.nhs.uk Compared with NSAID use alone, the concurrent use of SSRIs and NSAIDs is associated with a moderate excess relative risk of a serious upper GI event. Patients admitted with GI haemorrhage (lower or upper) were more likely to be taking SSRIs than controls. SSRI use was statistically significantly greater among cases of lower GI bleeding, but not among those of upper GI bleeding. SSRI use was associated with a modest increase in the risk of upper GI bleeding. PPIs reduced the risk of SSRIassociated upper GI bleeding by approximately 60% (OR, 0.39; 95% CI: 0.16-0.94). The risk of developing upper GI bleeding in patients using both an SSRI and an NSAID was not increased significantly above that in patients using only an NSAID SSRIs, but not other antidepressants, increased the risk of upper GI bleeding, and this effect is potentiated by concurrent use of NSAIDs. 4 Medicines Q&As de Abajo FJ et al. Br Med J 1999;319:1106-9 (1) Population based casecontrol study Dunn NR et al. Br Med J2000;320:1405-6 (22) Population based cohort study Vidal X et al. Drug Safety 2008;(312):159-68 (23) Case-control study Tata LJ et al. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2005;22:175-81 (24) Case-control study 1651 cases of upper GI bleeding 248 cases of ulcer perforation 10,000 controls SSRIs: 237,609 patient months of exposure Comparator drugs (moclobemide and salmeterol): 205,431 patient months of exposure 2813 cases of upper GI bleeding 7193 matched controls NSAIDs onlye: 295 cases, 652 controls SSRIs onlya: 38 cases, 93 controls NSAIDs & SSRIs: 16 cases, 9 controls SSRIsi: 103 cases Comparator drug: 72 cases RR, adjustedh (95% CI): SSRIs onlya: 2.6 (1.7-3.8) SSRI and NSAID:15.6 (6.6-36.6) SSRIs moderately increase the risk of upper GI bleeding. Concurrent use of NSAIDs and SSRIs greatly increases the risk of upper GI bleeding. Rate ratio (95% CI) versus comparator group: 1.24 (0.91-1.70) Found no evidence to suggest that SSRIs are more likely to cause GI bleeding than comparator drugs. High affinity SRIj (not necessarily alone): 84 cases, 160 controls NSAID and high affinity SRI: 41 cases, 26 controls No significant association was found between use of SRIs and risk of upper GI bleeding. The OR among concurrent users of a high-affinity SRI and an NSAID did not differ from that of users of NSAIDs alone. The risk of GI bleeding with SSRI use was slightly increased in patients aged over 70 compared to those aged under 70. 11,261 cases with upper GI bleeding 53,156 controls SSRI onlya: 253 cases, 522 controls NSAID onlyb: 1871 cases, 4700 controls SSRI and NSAID:92 cases, 168 controls OR, adjustedk (95% CI): High-affinity SRIs: 1.24 (0.88-1.76) High-affinity SRI and NSAID: 8.32 (4.69-14.76) NSAIDs without high-affinity SRI: 7.82 (6.79-9.00) Analysis within the SSRI group: SSRIs (>70 years):1.57 (0.97-2.56) SSRIs (<70 years):1.04 (0.63-1.73) OR (95% CI): SSRI onlya: 2.63 (2.24-3.07) SSRI and NSAID: 2.93 (2.25-3.82) NSAID onlyb: 2.19 (2.05-2.33) From the NHS Evidence website www.evidence.nhs.uk The risk of GI bleeding is not substantially increased when NSAIDs and SSRIs are prescribed together when compared to alone. 5 Medicines Q&As a. No other antidepressants or NSAIDs used. b. No antidepressants used. c. Adjusted for smoking status, alcohol intake, antecedents of GI disorder, and concomitant use of other medications associated with upper GI tract bleeding (NSAIDs, systemic corticosteroids, warfarin, low-dose aspirin and other antiplatelet drugs). d. Adjusted for use of aspirin and PPIs, alcohol abuse, cerebral ischemia, stroke, use of warfarin, clopidogrel, dipyridamole, and corticosteroids, prior Helicobacter eradication, peptic ulcer, upper GI bleed and cirrhosis. e. No SSRIs used. f. Adjusted for year of birth, sex, hospital catchment area, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, coronary artery disease, hypertension, asthma, cardiac insufficiency, use of H2 antagonist, PPI or plain misoprostol in the period extending from five years to 90 days prior to the index date (as a proxy for past GI morbidity). Also, use of H2 antagonist, plain misoprostol, PPI, warfarin, clopidogrel, oral or inhaled glucocorticoid or tramadol in the 90-day period immediately prior to the index date as well as any in-patient period lasting at least 7 days, in-patient period for an injury and a hospitalisation for hip or knee arthroplasty. g. Adjusted for specific medical comorbidities, use of other medications believed to affect the risk of upper GI complications, and history of GI disease. h. Adjusted for sex, age, year, antecedents of upper GI disorders, smoking status, and use of aspirin, anticoagulants, or steroids. i. Fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline and included nefazodone (SNRI). j. Included fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline and clomipramine, but not fluvoxamine, citalopram or venlafaxine. k. Adjusted for history of peptic ulcer, dyspepsia, upper GI bleeding, diabetes mellitus, smoking habit, alcohol consumption and use of antacids, PPIs, sucralfate, nitrates, systemic NSAIDs, topical NSAIDs, analgesics, antiplatelet drugs, dihydropyridine calcium antagonists and HMG Co-A reductase inhibitors in the week before the GI bleeding symptoms started. From the NHS Evidence website www.evidence.nhs.uk 6 Medicines Q&As Summary The results from most, but not all observational studies suggest that there is an association between the use of SSRIs and GI bleeds. One study indicated that patients taking SSRIs have a three-fold increased risk of developing a GI bleed compared to patients not taking SSRIs and who have no risk factors for GI bleeding. However, recent studies have found the risk to be more modest. In general, comparison of the results of studies on SSRI use and GI bleeding is complicated by the fact that the confounding factors taken into account differ in each case. Some studies have found the use of SSRIs with concomitant NSAIDs to increase the risk of GI bleed further. Being over the age of 80 or having a previous history of GI bleeding may also add to the risk of GI bleeding with SSRIs and there is some evidence that the risk of GI bleeding is higher in patients who have just started taking SSRIs. If an SSRI is required in a patient at high risk of a GI bleed then the use of a gastro-protective agent could be considered. Studies have shown the use of acid suppressing drugs, e.g. PPIs, to be protective against GI bleeds in patients receiving single-therapy SSRI or combined NSAID and SSRI treatment. Limitations Studies that have looked at the risk of GI bleeds in SSRI users have differed with respect to their outcomes and the confounding factors taken into account. References 1. de Abajo FJ, Garcia Rodriguez LA, Montero D. Association between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and upper gastrointestinal bleeding: population based case-control study. Br Med J 1999;319:1106-9. 2. Mort JR, Aparasu RR, Baer RK. Interaction between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: review of the literature. Pharmacother 2006;26(9):1307-13. 3. Loke YK, Trivedi AN, Singh S. Meta-analysis: gastrointestinal bleeding due to interaction between selective serotonin uptake inhibitors and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2008;27:31-40. 4. Yuan Y, Tsoi K, Hunt RH. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and risk of upper GI bleeding: confusion or confounding? Am J Med 2006;119:719-27. 5. Turner MS, May DB, Arthur RR et al. Clinical impact of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors therapy with bleeding risks. J Intern Med 2007;261:205-13. 6. Paton C, Ferrier IN. SSRIs and gastrointestinal bleeding. 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Accessed via http://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/27012/SPC/ on 10/01/13 [date of revision of the text 14 Sep 2012]. ® 16. Summary of Product Characteristics – Faverin (fluvoxamine). Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd. Accessed via http://www.medicines.org.uk/EMC/medicine/2074/SPC/ on 10/01/13 [date of revision of the text 1 Dec 2012]. 17. de Abajo FJ, Garcia-Rodriguez LA. Risk of upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding associated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and venlafaxine therapy. Arch Gen Psych 2008;65:795-803. 18. Targownik LE, Bolton JM, Metge CJ et al. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are associated with a modest increase in the risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Am J Gastroenterol 2009;104:1475-82. 19. Dall M, Schaffalitzky de Muckadell OB, Touborg Lassen A et al. An association between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use and serious upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2009;7:1314-21. 20. Wessinger S, Kaplan M, Choi L et al. Increased use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in patients admitted with gastrointestinal haemorrhage: a multicentre retrospective analysis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2006;23:937-44. 21. Helin-Salmivaara A, Huttunen T, Grönroos GMT et al. Risk of serious upper gastrointestinal events with concurrent use of NSAIDs and SSRIs: a case-control study in the general population. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2007;63:403-8. 22. Dunn NR, Pearce GL, Shakir SAW. SSRIs are no more likely than other drugs to cause such bleeding. Br Med J 2000;320:1405-6. 23. Vidal X, Ibanez L, Vendrell L et al. Risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding and the degree of serotonin reuptake inhibition by antidepressants. Drug Saf 2008;31:159-68. 24. Tata LJ, Fortune PJ, Hubbard RB et al. Does concurrent prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs substantially increase the risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding? Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2005;22:175-81 25. Opatrny L, Delaney JAC, Suissa S. Gastro-intestinal haemorrhage risks of selective serotonin receptor antagonist therapy: a new look. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2008;66:76-81. 26. Dall M, Schaffalitzky de Muckadell OB, Moller Hansen J et al. Helicobacter pylori and risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding among users of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Scand J Gastroenterol 2011;46:1039-44. 27. van Walraven C, Mamdani MM, Wells PS et al. Inhibition of serotonin reuptake by antidepressants and upper gastrointestinal bleeding in elderly patients: retrospective cohort study. Br Med J 2001;323:655-8. 28. Castro VM, Gallagher PJ, Clements CC et al. Incident user cohort study of risk of gastrointestinal bleed and stroke in individuals with major depressive disorder treated with antidepressants. BMJ Open 2012;2:e000544.doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2011-000544. 29. Gasse C, Christensen S, Riis A et al. Preadmission use of SSRIs alone or in combination with NSAIDs and 30-day mortality after peptic ulcer bleeding. Scand J Gastroenterol 2009;44:1288-95. 30. Zhang J, Yu KF. What’s the relative risk? A method of correcting the odds ratio in cohort studies of common outcomes. JAMA 1998;280(19):1690-1. From the NHS Evidence website www.evidence.nhs.uk 8 Medicines Q&As Quality Assurance Prepared by Alex Bailey, Information Scientist, Welsh Medicines Information Centre Date Prepared 21 January 2013 Checked by Fiona Woods, Director, Welsh Medicines Information Centre Date of check 21 January 2013 Search strategy Embase (exp Serotonin Uptake Inhibitor/ae, to [Adverse Drug Reaction, Drug Toxicity] AND exp Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/) limited to human and english language Medline (exp Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors/ae, to [Adverse Effects, Toxicity] AND exp Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/) limited to human IDIS Drug(s): ("antidepressants-ssris 28160700" and Descriptors: "side ef digestive 78" AND All fields: “bleeding” ) Micromedex (Searched under individual SSRI names in DrugDex and Martindale, also checked Drug Consults) EMC (Searched under individual SSRI names) In-house database/ resources (SSRI and bleed*) NeLM (ssri* AND bleed*; selective serotonin reuptake, ssri, gastrointestinal bleed*) (2008-12) Pharmline (for previous version) “serotonin reuptake inhibitors” AND “haemorrhagegastrointestinal” Meyler’s Side Effects of Drugs (15th ed) selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors Stockley’s (online) ssris warfarin From the NHS Evidence website www.evidence.nhs.uk 9